Prolonged casino game method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game for money has a display to show play progress. A processor runs the game play as base and/or the bonus games. The processor connects to the display. Memory in the processor operates a program; runs the game with at least one hidden attribute for each of a finite number of icons and at least two hidden attributes for at least one of the icons. An initial number of player&#39;s picks adds picks with the one hidden attribute or attributes to prolong the game. Play controls couple to the processor and the display to pick one of the icons and reveal the hidden attribute or attributes on the icon picked and awarded. A processor return path resumes operation of the game after the initial number of picks and any others revealed are used. Method steps of game play has steps of ascribing at least one hidden attribute to each of the finite number of icons and ascribing at least two hidden attributes to at least one of the icons. Giving the player an initial number of picks then shown to the player is a step. Letting the player pick one icon and revealing to the player the hidden attribute or attributes on the icon picked by the player are steps. Awarding the player the revealed attribute or attributes including modification of the number of picks are steps. Repeating the steps letting, revealing and awarding until the end of the game occurs when the player&#39;s picks are used up.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to casino games and, in particular,to casino bonus games giving a player chances to make selections as partof the bonus game play.

[0002] Bonus games on casino slot machines have become very popular. Toplay a bonus game, a player typically must qualify by aligning severalspecial symbols on the underlying traditional game. Play then switchesover to a bonus game (either in a separate apparatus or a separatescreen, e.g.), in which the player participates without additional wagerbut typically with an award at its conclusion. The amount of the bonusaward is determined during and by bonus play.

[0003] Among bonus games, those in which the player chooses from among aplurality of objects are common.

[0004] For example, the games, Reel 'Em In! and Filthy Rich by WMSGaming contain bonuses in which the player is presented with 5 objects(e.g., fishermen, pigs) and chooses one of them to reveal an award. Thegame Sphinx by Atronic also affords the player a choice of 5 objects,four of which reveal an immediate award, and one of which advances theplayer to an additional choice of 5 objects comprising larger awards.

[0005] The games American Pride by CDS (U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,976) andPick 'N Pop by Anchor contain bonuses in which the player is presentedwith a predetermined number of objects (e.g., stars, balloons), each ofwhich has an associated award. The player chooses until matching twoawards; the matching award is then given to the player. The game TheMunsters by IGT contains a bonus in which the player is presented with apredetermined number of objects, each of which has an associated award.The player chooses until matching three awards, which is then given tothe player.

[0006] The games Jackpot Party and Monopoly Chairman of the Board by WMSGaming (European Patent Application EP 0945837A2) contain a bonus inwhich the player is presented with a predetermined number of objects(e.g., boxes, cards) and chooses until selecting an “end of game” object(e.g., Go to Jail). Additionally, some objects (e.g., Get Out of JailFree) may grant the player a nullification of a future “end of game”choice. The game Scrabble by WMS Gaming has a bonus in which the playerchooses from various objects, until finding three “end of game” objects.Some objects grant the player a nullification of an “end of game”object.

[0007] The game Who Dunnit? By WMS Gaming (U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,097) hasa bonus game in which the player makes choices (e.g., suspects) untilfinding a desired choice (e.g., the guilty suspect), with successivelylower awards depending on how many choices are required to make thedesired choice.

[0008] The game Sphinx by Atronic contains a bonus in which the playerchooses from among five objects. Four of the objects have awards, andthe fifth advances the player to another set of five objects, all ofwhich have enhanced awards.

[0009] The game Battleship All Aboard by Mikohn, the assignee of thepresent disclosure, has a bonus in which the player chooses from amongfive objects (e.g., flags), four of which have awards, and one of whichadvances the player to a different bonus game.

[0010] Statement of the Problem

[0011] While the current state of bonus play suggests a variety of bonusgames with choices, they share in common that each choice reveals oneassociated value. It would be desirable to create a bonus game in whicha player choice of an object revealed two or more associations, one ofwhich may be an award. In practice, the second association may be amodification of the number of choices remaining or a modification ofother attributes associated with the bonus game.

[0012] Solution to the Problem.

[0013] The solution, as presented herein, comprises a bonus game inwhich the player begins with an initial number of picks, or choices, andselects from among a plurality of objects. Associated with some objectsis more than one action. For example, while some objects may have onlyone association (an award), other objects have two associations (anaward and additional picks). In this manner, the player's enjoyment ofplaying the bonus game may be prolonged, since some choices yieldadditional picks.

[0014] It is an advantage that the casino bonus game as disclosed hereinallows the player different ways to pick awards, either with or withoutadditional picks.

[0015] It is a further advantage that the casino bonus game disclosedherein has significant suspense for the player in making choices thatmay or may not yield additional picks.

[0016] It is a further advantage that the casino bonus game as disclosedherein is one in which the player does not know when the bonus game willend.

[0017] It is a further advantage that the casino bonus game as disclosedherein is one in which all of the objects' award values may besuccessfully chosen by the player choosing a “winner takes all” object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one apparatus preferably includinga base game and a bonus game including the methods capable of prolongedplay.

[0019]FIG. 2 is a flow chart including the steps of the preferredmethods of prolonged play of the bonus game.

[0020]FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of 15 globes distributed in a3 by 5 matrix on the video screen of a bonus game.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0021]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one apparatus 10 preferablyincluding a base game and/or a bonus game including the methods capableof prolonged play. In a preferred embodiment, the base game is afive-reel video slot machine, with the bonus game initiated via acombination of special reel-strip symbols referred to as triggersymbols. FIG. 1 the perspective view of apparatus 10 preferably includesthe five-reel video slot machine having the bonus game both of which canappear on video screen 11 in sequence. That is, if the base game is afive-reel slot then the video screen 11 shows that game until entry tothe bonus game is achieved thereafter the prolonged game disclosed anddescribed herein after appears on the video screen 11.

[0022] The video screen 11 is used to simulate reel motion of amechanical slot machine during the play of the five-reel slot machineand is also used as a display 12 for the bonus game to the player. Suchvideo screens 11 are commonly a part of casino games including slotmachines on the video screen 11. The video screen 11 can be the display12 for a software program 13 with memory 14 in a processor 15 to delivergraphs to the display 12 and sound to simulate any kind of interactivegame desired. In FIG. 1 the software program 13 with memory 14 inprocessor 15 is shown at the bottom of apparatus 10 whereat it iscutaway. Skilled artisans have produced a wide variety of such displays12 to appeal to players and provide practically any type of challenge tothe player.

[0023]FIG. 2 is a flow chart including steps included in the preferredmethods of prolonged play of the bonus game. The flow chart of FIG. 2 ismerely representative of some steps of the method of play and how theyfollow and interrelate with one another. Of particular interest is thearrow from the penultimate block that returns upwardly to prolong playin accord with the disclosure of examples herein after presented.

[0024]FIG. 3 is a schematic representation showing 15 globes 16distributed in a 3 by 5 matrix on the video screen 11 of a bonus game ofapparatus 10 of FIG. 1. In a first preferred method of play suitable fora bonus game of questions and answers such as, “Ripley's Believe It orNot!”, the fifteen objects or icons (used interchangeably herein) arerepresented as globes 16 in FIG. 3. The globes 16 are distributed in a3×5 martix on the screen as shown in FIG. 3. However, any suitableon-screen depiction is possible and within the scope of the presentdisclosure. Three or more trigger symbols on the five reel slot displayare required to start the bonus game. When three trigger or initiationsymbols qualified the player for the bonus round, then the player isinitially given three selections, choices, or picks (these terms areused interchangeably throughout this disclosure). Likewise, when fourtrigger symbols qualified the player, then the player is initially givenfour selections. Consider the following tabular representation of thepossible when objects or icons (in this instance “Globes” are presentedon the bonus game video screen for the player to select: Globe ValueExtra position Hidden Picks 1 1x 0 2 1x 0 3 1x 0 4 1x 2 5 2x 0 6 2x 0 72x 1 8 3x 0 9 3x 1 10  4x 1 11  5x 0 12  6x 0 13  8x 0 14  “Believe It”0 15  “Not!” 0

[0025] All the globes 16 have an attribute and all but two globes 16, inthe table above have an associated “value” which is hidden. At such timeas the player chooses a globe 16, that globe 16 appears on the videoscreen 11 to rotate on its axis (not shown) but “preferably vertical” toshow or reveal the associated value of that selected globe's 16,opposite side. Clearly, the globe 16 once revealed will not again beavailable for selection or the player. Thus, all future selections mustbe from remaining unselected globes 16. Each of the associated values ifnumerical, is to be multiplied by the total wager made in currency slot17 by the player to determine the player's bonus award. If the attributeon the picked globe 16 when rotated into view is one of the two phrases(i.e., “Believe It” or “Not!”), no immediate award is given as bothphrases are needed in order to receive an award. Some globes 16 may alsohave another hidden attribute, one or more extra picks, in conjuctionwith a numerical value. The play of the bonus game is over when theplayer's are exhausted or used up and the bonus award made.

[0026] As globes 16 are chosen, ayer receives credits for the associatedawards and (as appropriate) additional associated picks. If playerselected both the “Believe It” and “Not!” globes 16, then 15× theplayer's wager is awarded. By way of example, in a possible game theplayer begins with a wager and then 3 picks. The first pick is a globe16at position 12 (in the preceding table) and awards the player 6× thewager made. The number of picks decrements to 2 remaining, that is, 3picks minus 1. Suppose the second pick is globe 16 in position 4 in thetable. The player is then awarded 2× the wager made plus two additionalpicks, decreasing the player's remaining 2 picks by 1 before adding thetwo picks won so that now 3 picks are left. The player's third pick isglobe 1 which awards the player 1× the wager made, leaving the playerwith 2 picks remaining. Now the prolongation of the bonus play can beunderstood from this example. Assume the player's fourth pick is globe16 in position 7 of the example table and awards the player 2× the wagermade and an additional pick, leaving the player with 2 picks remaining.If the player's fifth pick is globe 16, table position 14 and the playerreceives no numerical value award and no additional picks. In theprolonged bonus play the player has 1 pick remaining. The player's sixthpick is globe 16 in table position 13 and awards the player 8× the wagermade, leaving the player with no more picks. Hence the bonus game playis over, and the player would be awarded a grand total of6×+2×+1×+2×+8×=19× the wager made for playing the bonus game. Note thatif, on the final pick, the player had instead chosen globe 16, inposition 15, then 15× the wager would be awarded for picking both globe16, in position 14 and globe 16 of position 15 so the player's win is 11plus 15 for a total of 26.

[0027] It should be appreciated that while the player began with only 3picks, by choosing globes 16 that yielded additional picks, the player'ssuccessful selection enabled prolonged the bonus play totaling 6 picks.It is a feature of this method of play that a player may be able toconsiderably extend the time spent playing a bonus game. Any means canbe used to make picks such as touch screen technology or the controls 19in FIG. 1. A place 20 is on the display 12 presents icons to the playerhiding the one or more attributes. A return path 21, as shown in FIG. 2,follows the path of the arrow from the penultimate block that returnsupwardly to prolong play. The processor 15 has the program 14 and memory13 for resuming operation of the base game after the player's initialnumber of choices and any others revealed are used. Where there is nobase game the prolonged game is merely restarted with another wager asper the flow in FIG. 2.

[0028] In a second embodiment particularly suitable to playing a casinoadaptation of the home board game, “Clue”, cards 20 are used as objectsinstead of the globes 16 in the preceding example. The icons in thisexample are cards 20 are initially disposed with their faces down oraway from the player's view of the video screen 11 hence all suchpredisposed face down cards 20 appear identical. Illustrative of thecards 20 would be FIG. 3 which can be understood to have the 3 by 5matrix showing cards 20 (with any picture but here globe like pictureson the back of each). Once selected, each card 20 animates and turnsface-up to reveal the name of a Clue® game character (e.g., ColonelMustard) and hidden value (e.g., 15×), possibly in conjunction with arevealed number of extra picks (e.g., +1 pick). In addition, certaincards, rather than revealing a value, “warp” (move via the text “SecretPassage”) the player to another set of icons or objects with generallygreater values. Consider the following table example of how such a“Clue”® casino video game might be played: Suspect screen Miss Scarlet10 Colonel Mustard 15 +1 pick Mrs. White 20 Mr. Green 25 +2 picks Mrs.Peacock 30 Professor Plum 35 Secret Passage to Weapon Screen Weaponscreen Knife 20 Lead Pipe 30 +1 pick Rope 40 Wrench 50 Revolver 60Candlestick 25 Secret Passage to Room Screen Room screen Ballroom 100 Conservatory 200  Billiard Room 300  Library 400  Study 500  Hall 250 Lounge 175  Dining Room 125  +1 pick Kitchen 150 

[0029] The player always starts at the “Suspect” video screen 11 and isinitially given 2 picks. As before, the player chooses hidden icons,objects or cards, in this case face down cards 20. Once chosen, eachcard 20 turns to reveal its face. The hidden value revealed, (multipliedby the player's wager) is awarded by credit or coin pay out to theplayer. Also as before, should the player choose a card 20 that awardsadditional picks, this is added to the player's current number of picksremaining. Additionally, however, should the player select the card 20that reveals “Secret Passage,” the video screen warps changing to show anew set of icons or objects for the player to select from and tocontinue the bonus play. In a preferred embodiment, the choosing of the“Secret Passage” would not use up that pick.

[0030] A possible game is described by way of example. The player beginsin the Suspect screen with 2 picks. Suppose the first card pickedreveals Professor Plum and awards the player 35× the wager made whiledecrementing the number of picks from 2 to 1. The player's second pickis the Secret Passage card and that “warps” the player to the Weaponscreen, still with the 1 pick remaining since in the preferredembodiment selecting the Secret Passage has not used up a pick. If theplayer's third pick is the Lead Pipe, the bonus award is 30× the wagermade, leaving the player with 1 pick remaining. The player's fourth pickmight be the Rope and the player award of 40× the wager made and no morepicks remaining. Hence the game is over, and the player would be awardedfor playing the bonus game a grand total of 35×+30×+40×=105× the wagermade.

[0031] By finding the hidden “warp” card 20, the player may be given newsets of cards 20 or icons or any other objects to select from whosevalue is generally greater than those of the current set on the videoscreen 11 prior to revealing the “warp” card. Prolongation of the bonusplay continues interest in the base game and creates suspenseful play inthe bonus game.

[0032] Note that it is possible to set a “goal” or “target” for the gameby having one object serve as the grand prize. For example, it ispossible for an icon, object or card 20 to have a hidden value that isnot a specific numerical value but rather the sum of all other numericalvalues. In this manner, the game has, as its goal, to select the objectwith the “Winner Take All” award value. Of course, the examples andteachings of this disclosure with regard to numerical awards and extrapicks are equally useful and valid in such a play scheme or environment.

[0033] While the terms selections, choices, or picks and similarlyglobes, cards, objects or icons are used interchangeably throughout, theintention is to include the wide range of appropriate dictionarydefinitions or meanings those terms within the context of thisdisclosure and the appended claims. Although attributes such as values,modifications, extra picks, grand prize, etc. are specifically disclosedany attributes that prolong the bonus play are sought to be within thescope of the claims. Skilled artisans will appreciate that a widevariety of object arrangements can be programmed, for example into acomputer that drives the video bonus screen(s) during play of the bonusgame.

What is claimed: 1) A method of playing a bonus game, entry to which isafforded from a base game, the bonus game having a finite number oficons, the method comprising the step of: a) making a wager in the basegame; b) ascribing at least one hidden attribute to each of the finitenumber of icons, while c) ascribing at least two hidden attributes to atleast one of the icons; d) giving the player an initial number ofchoices that is depicted to the player; e) letting the player choose oneicon; f) revealing to the player the hidden attribute or attributes onthe icon chosen by the player; g) providing some prolongation of thebonus play via additional choices or modification of bonus play with thehidden attribute or attributes; h) awarding the player the revealedattribute or attributes; i) repeating the steps e), f), g) and h), andj) ending the game when the player's choices are used up. 2) The methodof playing of claim 1 wherein the step of revealing the attribute orattributes includes displaying a value and/or a modification and/or amove. 3) The method of playing of claim 1 wherein the step of revealingthe attribute or attributes include a modification and/or a move. 4) Themethod of playing of claim 1 wherein the step of revealing the hiddenattribute or attributes include a value and/or modification. 5) Themethod of playing of claim 1 wherein the step of revealing the hiddenattribute or attributes include a value and/or move. 6) The method ofplaying of claim 2 with the step of multiplying the player wager by thevalue revealed by the awarding step. 7) The method of playing of claim 2with the step of increasing of the player's number of choices by thehidden attribute by the revealing step. 8) The method of playing ofclaim 3 with the step of increasing the player's number of choices andthe award by the hidden attributes with the revealing step. 9) Themethod of playing of claim 4 with the step of increasing the player'snumber of choices or award by the hidden attribute revealed by theawarding step. 10) The method of playing of claim 1 with the step oflimiting the player to selecting the next icon from remaining icons notchosen previously. 11) The method of playing of claim 1 with the step ofrelating at least one icon's value, if chosen, to be a function of atleast one other prearranged icon that is thereafter chosen before stepj). 12) The method of playing of claim 6 with the step of summing of thevalues to the hidden attributes revealed times the wager made tocalculate the player's total bonus award. 13) The method of playing ofclaim 4 with the step of using the value of the hidden attributerevealed as a multiplier of the wager made. 14) The method of playing ofclaim 5 with the step of using the values of all the hidden attributesas a multiplier of the wager made. 15) The method of claim 2 with thestep of having one value of the hidden attribute be the sum of all othervalues in the other hidden attributes. 16) The method of playing ofclaim 4 with the step of using one value of the hidden attributes as thesum of all other values of the other hidden attributes. 17) The methodof playing of claim 5 with the step of using one value of the hiddenattributes as the sum of all other values of the other hiddenattributes. 18) A method of playing a bonus game, entry for which isafforded in a base game, the bonus game having a finite number of icons,the method comprising the steps of: a) wagering in a base game; b)ascribing at least one hidden attribute to each of the finite number oficons, while c) ascribing at least two hidden attributes to at least oneicon; d) letting the player entering the bonus game have an initialnumber of choices; e) letting the player entering the bonus choose oneof the finite number of icons having the one hidden attribute orattributes; f) revealing to the player the hidden attribute orattributes that may on the icon chosen by the player include one or moreadditional choices; g) prolonging the bonus play with additional choicesover that of step d); h) awarding the player the revealed attribute orattributes; i) displaying the revealed one attribute or attributes ofsteps f) and h); j) repeating the steps e), f), g) and h), and k) endingthe game when the player's choices are used up. 19) A method of playinga bonus game, entry for which is afforded in a base game, the bonus gamehaving a finite number of groups, each group having a finite number oficons, and each icon having a finite number of attributes, the methodcomprising the steps of: a) ascribing at least one hidden attribute toeach of the finite number of icons; b) ascribing on at least one of theicons at least one hidden attribute or attributes from the following amodification, a move, a value or a total of all values; c) letting theplayer entering the bonus game choose one of the finite number of icons;d) revealing to the player the one attribute or attributes hidden on theicon chosen by the player; e) awarding the player the revealedattribute; f) prolonging the bonus play with the awarding the player therevealed one attribute or attributes; g) repeating the steps c), d), e)and f), and h) ending the game when the player's choices are used up.20) The method of playing of claim 19 wherein the modification includesgiving the player the step of one or more additional choices. 21) Themethod of playing of claim 19 wherein the move includes the step ofshifting the play from one group to another. 22) The method of playingof claim 19 with the step of including as the hidden attributes a valueand a move from one group to another. 23) The method of playing of claim19 with the step of including as the hidden attributes a value and amodification. 24) The method of playing of claim 19 with the step ofrelating the groups in a mystery story. 25) An apparatus for playing acasino game for monetary return including a base game and a bonus gamecomprising: a) a display for showing progress of the play of the basegame and the bonus game; c) a processor for running the game play duringthe base game play and the bonus game play, the processor connected tothe display for providing imagines of the progress of the play, theprocessor starting and running of the base game until an outcome for thebonus game initiation occurs; d) memory included in the processor foroperating in conjunction with the program therein the bonus game with atleast one hidden attribute for each of a finite number of icons and atleast two hidden attributes to at least one of the icons, and an initialnumber of player's choices and wherein the one hidden attribute andattributes include additional choices to the initial number forprolonging the bonus play; e) controls coupled to the processor and thedisplay for the player to use in selecting one of the icons; f) theprocessor coupled to its memory and the display for revealing to theplayer the hidden attribute or attributes on the icon selected by theplayer; g) a place on the display for presentation to the player of therevealed one or more attributes awarded, and h) a return path in theprocessor for resuming operation of the base game after the player'sinitial number of choices and any others revealed are used. 26) A methodof playing a game having a finite number of icons, the method comprisingthe steps of: a) ascribing at least one hidden attribute to each of thefinite number of icons, while b) ascribing at least two hiddenattributes to at least one of the icons; c) giving the player an initialnumber of choices that is depicted to the player; d) letting the playerchoose one icon; e) revealing to the player the hidden attribute orattributes on the icon chosen by the player; f) awarding the player therevealed attribute or attributes, providing for modification of numberof choices as a possible hidden attribute; g) repeating the steps d),e), f), and h) ending the game when the player's choices are used up.27) The method of claim 26 used as a bonus game in conjunction with anunderlying slot machine.